Cold, snowy weather is coming — wouldn’t it be nice to be able to stay in your warm home to work out? With your own professional home exercise room, it’s possible. No more bundling up in layers and trekking through a snow-covered parking lot to get to the local gym.
If you’re considering building a professional home exercise room, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve helped many clients turn existing spaces like basements, extra bedrooms, and even garages into home gyms. To make the room remodeling process as streamlined as possible, consider these tips:
How to Build a Home Exercise Room
Determine the Functionality of the Room
Before you even begin your home exercise room remodel, you must decide how elaborate your exercise space will be. Do you plan to include every possible piece of workout equipment, like a treadmill, rowing machine, elliptical, and spin bike? Do you want a space with floor-to-ceiling mirrors and a television for pre-recorded workouts? Answer these questions now so you can ensure the room has enough space for every type of activity you envision.
Ensure Proper Ceiling Height
Many clients decide to put their home gyms in a newly finished basement. That’s a great location for this type of activity as long as you’ve got the proper ceiling height. Some basement ceilings were built at standard living height, and some have exceptionally low ceilings. If you plan to have workout equipment like a treadmill and/or elliptical, you’ll need at least a standard ceiling height for a functional fitness room.
Consider Essential Technology
If you plan to use your smart TV or computer for at-home workouts, you probably want a reliable Wi-Fi connection. Where your home gym is located in your home (in relation to your Internet router) is important for a consistent, strong Wi-Fi signal. Most likely the entertainment platforms in your exercise room will require Wi-Fi, so put your home gym in a place that can obtain a strong signal at all times. You don’t want to be dealing with the headaches of lost connections in the middle of your workout.
Give Yourself Good Lighting Options
The best exercise rooms have plenty of lighting with the ability to toggle to dimmer lights when appropriate. For example, some workouts (like spinning) are more fun with loud music and lights turned low. Other activities, like online workouts, require plenty of lighting to see. Recessed lighting on a dimming switch is a popular option in home gyms because it ensures the entire space has plenty of light while providing the ability to dim the lights when needed.
Functional Yet Comfortable Flooring is Best
When it comes to flooring for a home gym, you want something that’s easy to maintain (and clean), but comfortable. There may be times when you exercise barefoot, like for a yoga routine, and you’ll want flooring with a bit of cushion. Different types of fitness suit different types of flooring.
If you plan to use your exercise room for floor work like HIIT workouts, yoga, or Pilates, go with flooring that’s soft yet durable and easy to maintain. Rubber gym flooring or luxury vinyl planks are ideal options. Choose something that’s easy to wipe clean, since sweat may drip onto the floors.
On the other hand, if you plan to use fitness equipment like treadmills, spin bikes, weight benches, rowing machines, and/or ellipticals, consider carpet (with mats underneath the equipment to help protect the carpet). Engineered hardwood or luxury vinyl planks work well too because they’re typically moisture-proof.
Build in Convenient Extras
When undergoing a home gym renovation, now is the time to add bonus amenities that will make your life easier when working out. For example, you can include an attached half bathroom for quick access when you need to go in the middle of a workout. Add a kitchenette with a refrigerator to keep your drinks cold, then quickly grab it at the end of your session. Another extra to consider is a whiteboard, chalkboard, or even a computer station where you can track your progress on certain activities over time. These are the types of conveniences you should plan for now, before you begin building your professional home gym.
We’ve worked on a number of professional home gyms over the years, and we’re happy to answer any questions you have about the process or ideas you’ve been pondering. Let’s work together to make your dream home gym a reality.
Want to learn more about our renovation process? Read our blog post on Home Remodeling Steps: A Checklist to Help Plan and Organize Your Renovation.
Home Exercise Room Renovations, Remodels, and Additions in Columbus, Ohio
Dave Fox is an employee-owned company that makes our clients our number one priority. We design and build remodeling, renovation, and addition projects for our clients in Central Ohio and deliver the best value through exceptional craftsmanship, excellent materials, and ethical business practices. Contact us today to learn more and sign up for our newsletter here!